Make a song and dance of it

There is something rather special about having an excuse to make an extra effort to look good. And still, thousands of years after it was first introduced, the theatre provides just that chance. It gives you the perfect excuse to shop for a new outfit or drag out your favourite items from your wardrobe, to spend a little extra time working on your hair and make-up, and not to forget that the little glass of champagne or wine in your hand does nothing but encourage the good feeling that a night out at the theatre brings with it.

As one of the oldest forms of performance art, it's somewhat surprising these shows are still so popular. Perhaps it's the traditional charm that draws people. Perhaps it's because there really is something for everyone, just as with the cinema.

There are entire stories told through dance and music; ballets and operas, the traditional plays from Shakespeare’s, emotional stories entwined with jaw-dropping props such as the famous War Horse puppet performance. They've all become very popular. And of course there's always pantomimes for children (and adults alike because, well we just won’t ever get old).

But what exactly is it that still draws people to the stage? Especially now cinemas have become so appealing - with their cheap prices. Well, at least in comparison to a show, anyway.

Well quite simply, it brings people who don’t even know each other together in a way that sitting watching a big screen can't. The dramatic shows take over the room, they're acted by real people, making the whole story authentic when you can see them right before your own eyes. Everything happens in real time. There can be no mistakes, oh no. But when there are - because nobody's perfect - all it does is remind the audience they're watching live show.

Not only this, but in a cinema you don’t get the same level of interaction. You don’t ever hear people cheering on the good guy or ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ at the best parts of the story in a movie. Because if you did people would throw pick 'n' mix at you. So while films are good, they don’t hold the same level of magic.

It's very rare there's a standing ovation, or the chance to actually interact with the people that you have spent the last two hours watching. The theatre really does make you feel as though you are right there with the characters; you jump with them, you cheer with them, sometimes you even cry with them and this is something that a pre-recorded tale can’t truly recreate to the same level.

Last year, we were lucky to have the large hits of War Horse, Wicked and the ever-popular Lion King to admire on the stage. Now in 2013 we seem to have an even larger array of musicals, plays, ballets and pantomimes to look forward to. There's the light-hearted musical Hairspray, Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s well-known performance of CATS, and the classic Great Gatsby (which is being brought to the stage thanks to the Northern Ballet). And not forgetting later on the year, when fairy tales of Snow White and Hansel and Gretel will make their way to the public eye. There really is plenty to keep you busy in theatres up and down the country.

So what about you? Are you a seasoned theatre fan, or do you prefer 3D glasses and munching popcorn at the Odeon? Leave a comment or tweet us at @sixoutoftenmag.

Shannon is a very proud British girl, with a love for a cup of tea and an evening curled up with her cats watching Notting Hill. You'll often find her dusting off the mud after a day with her unpredictable pony Rocky. A procrastinator, she spends most of her time practicing these skills as opposed to doing anything she's meant to be doing.